Getting a fungal infection on the nails, whether it is the toes or the fingers, is probably more common than you think. Many people suffer from toenail fungus and there is a wide variety of treatment options. If you have a mild case of the infection, you may even be able to treat the infection using common home remedies. More stubborn infections may require a prescription treatment. Here is a look at common treatment options for toenail fungus.

Medications and Prescriptions:
Severe cases of toenail fungus may require a stronger treatment. These may be found over the counter, but you may also need to visit your doctor. Lamisil and antifungal medications that contain amorolfine or ciclopirox are very common. These are equivalent to a prescription nail polish that will fight the infection. This type of treatment actually works best on fungal infections that are small and very localized. If the infection has worsened or spread to other nails, this may not work as well. Some of the more popular prescription treatments may require up to 12 weeks of treatment and some of the medications may have side effects. With cases that are hard to treat and for those that do not respond well to medications, surgically removing the nail may be the only answer.

Home remedies
There are just as many home remedies that work for toenail fungus, too. One of the more popular home remedies includes using tea tree oil on the infected nail for several weeks. Tea tree oil is known for its healing properties and can fight off many bacterial infections. Vick’s Vapor Rub applied to the nail several times may also help cure toenail fungus. It is always worth a try. It is recommended that you use these home treatments up to three times a day. While it may take some weeks to heal, it may work better for you than expensive prescriptions.